Arch-bridge



(NoModeL) S. BISSELL.

p Aroh Bridge.

, No. 237,411. Patented Feb. 8,1881.

l 'gm I a El E] El El N.PE!ERS, PHDTO LlTHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SYLVESTER B ISSELL, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

ARCH-BRIDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,471, dated February 8, 1881.

Application filed May 31, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SYLVESTER. BISSELL, of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arch-Bridges;

and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, whereby a person skilled. in the art can make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of concealed means for receiving the thrust of the same.

the masonry and supporting the arch, so that the bridge will have all the external appearance of an arch of masonry only, while it exerts avertical pressure alone upon its supports.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a top view of a bridge of my improved construction, having the cornor-posts at one end removed to show the interior construction. Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line a b, showing the interior arrangementof tie-rods for supporting the bridge. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section through the middle of the bridge on the line 0 cl, show- 3 5 ing the method of supporting the roadway between the parapets. Fig. 5 is an end View of the bridge with the corner-posts removed to show the interior construction.

A is the arch, composed of a series of vous- 4,o soirs'reachin g from the intrados through to the roadway.

B B are the parapets, built of masonry in the usual form.

C C are corner-posts, intended to be of simi- 4 5 lar masonry to the rest of the bridge; but they ward against the end of the arch to the springline.

(No model.)

the drawings, this plate, together with the k posts D, forms the part of the bridge which rests upon the supports at the ends.

The parts D and E are intended to be of cast or wrought iron, and may be made all in onepiece, or may be made in separate parts and bolted together.

G and H are diagonal wrought-iron tie-rods, extending from the top of the iron post at one end of the parapet to the bottom of the post at the other end, passing through the masonry of the parapet and arch concealed from sight. These tie-rods form, with the parapet-wall, a beam, which assists in sustaining the weight of the arch and its load. The parapet takes the compressive strain at the top and the rods the tensive strain at the bottom.

J and K are tie-rods passing through the masonry of the arch horizontally, just above the crown of the intrados, so as to lie wholly within the masonry. Their ends pass through the posts D or the plate E, according to their position, and they serve to bind the whole of the voussoirs together. They act as ties to receive the thrust of the arch and prevent it from spreading.

My improved bridge is adapted to situations where it is desired to have stone or brick bridges for architectural or ornamental effect, and the construction is one of great permanence and durability. The iron bars, being embedded in the masonry, are not liable to corrosion, and are little influenced by changes of temperature.

WVhat I claim as my invention isl. The combination of the embedded diagonal bars or ties G H and the posts D with the parapet B, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the arch A and its tie-rods J K with the parapet B and its diagonal braces G H, substantially as described.

SYLVESTER BISSELL.

Witnesses:

THEo. G. ELLIs, WEN'DELL R. CURTIS. 

